When a goalie seeks to become a better, more effective puck stopper, he
or she tends to focus on the obvious instead of the subtle aspects
of the game. In reality, most slumps or weaknesses in a goalie's
game are a reflection of a lack of attention to details. To truly
improve your skills as a goalie, you need to look at your game like
a biologist looks at a frog he or she is about to dissect. There is
a reason why goals go in or are saved. To focus on the important
"little things", you must be able to break a situation down into a
frame by frame analysis to see how some seemingly unimportant
choices or habits can result in an unnecessary scoring chance. The
following situations are commonplace in games and most goalies take
them for granted when they should be treated with the same
concentration as an overtime breakaway.

Situation 1: Sloppy Handling of Routine Shots

Each of you goalies see hundreds of these shots each week at
practice and anywhere from 20-30 of these in each game you play. In
practice, most goalies handle these shots on cruise control--only
"getting in the way" to stop the puck. ESPN is filled with "Plays of
the Day" goals where the viewer sees a top shelf glove shot.
However, I will bet dollars to doughnuts that prior to that amazing
shot, the goalie may have coughed up a bad rebound off a routine
shot to the stick or pads which resulted in that highlight goal.
Soooo, the average fan or observer will say the goalie never had a
chance to stop that amazing shot, but the trained eye will see the
lost opportunity the goalie had to control an easy shot.

How many goalies do you observe that have sloppy stances when there
doesn't appear to be a chance of a shot? While the glove and blocker
are resting on the pads, a turnover may occur that results in a
quick shot on goal. The goalie has to waste a second or two to get
the gloves or stick to a ready position and that may be a second or
two too late. Those fans of the former NY Rangers goalie Mike
Richter may have observed how consistent he was with his stance. He
had his hands trained to be up and ready at all times so he was
always ready when the unexpected happened. Goalies with their hands
down or the sticks lazily glued to their skates give out unforced
errors which result in scoring opportunities. Why work harder than
you need to? It makes no sense to me to give away dozens of goals
each year simply because you were too lazy to control an easy shot.
Pay attention to these details!

Your job as a goalie is simply this: stop ALL easy shots, stop
ALMOST every mid-range (top of circles to slot) shot and MAKE TIMELY
game-breaking saves on high percentage scoring chances. This formula
should keep your goals against under 3 for each game you play and
give your team a chance to win. If you consistently give up soft
goals on easy shots, your team will not have the confidence to be
100% aggressive and that will result in even more scoring chances.
If you can't handle the routine shots on a consistent basis, you
will not be a starting goalie for long because your job is to give
your team the chance to win. Sloppy routine saves will not allow you
to do that.

Situation 2: Lazy Positioning

Yeah, I know the old cliché where the goalie was fat and lazy that's
why they were in goal. That is one stereotype which should have
absolutely no basis in fact anymore, yet many of you like to play
down to that image by looking lazy. There is a difference between
being "economical" and lazy with your movements. Those of you with
an excuse gene will always argue that you don't want to do more than
you have to in order to make your saves. Goalies that wait until
they see an obvious shot before getting ready are giving away
scoring chances. Goalies are not simply targets waiting for the
rubber to come their way. By being proactive, not reactive, you can
discourage the opposition from making scoring attempts by taking
away space. Taking away space is a subtle but effective way of
changing the puckhandler's options. "Playing the angles" does not
mean coming out 10 or 15 feet. Stepping out from the top of the
crease before a shot is taken may take away a back door passing
option or it may make the puckhandler pass off because there is
nothing to shoot at.

When working with goalies I always refer to gap control. Defensemen
are taught to take away gaps of the approaching forward so they
don't have space to get off a good shot or deke. Goalies have the
same opportunity. I see goalies who are out in the hashmarks between
the face-off circles and then furiously back into the crease,
opening up a lot of shooting, deking or passing space. (I call this
turtling back into the shell). I see goalies wearing themselves out
skating all over the slot area following the puck like a rabbit
chasing a carrot. The analogy I always prefer is one of a snake. The
snake establishes its ground and waits until its prey is within
range and then it strikes quickly and explosively. Many goalies sit
back and wait too long before challenging or they are gliders always
being caught on the backs of their heels. Lazy positioning makes so
much work for the goalie and results in many unnecessary goals
against. If you are only waiting to see a shot you are only using a
quarter of your resources. By being proactive in your pre-save
movement, pass-blocking, communication and puckhandling, you control
your defensive zone and make soft goals unlikely.

Even in practice, work on proactive movement and don't allow
yourself to hang out in the crease like a sack of potatoes. Laziness
becomes a habit. When you do just enough movement to "get by", you
put yourself in position to get beaten by deflections and rebound
shots because your gap control is poor. I always wish there could be
a stat for goalies called "scoring chances denied". There are many
circumstances that are not technically a save, but because of great
positioning or pass-blocking, a scoring chance did not occur. That
proactive decision making by a goalie prevents goals while a goalie
who hangs out spectating from the crease is generating scoring
chances for the other team. Don't get caught fishing the puck out of
the net and thinking, "Geez, I didn't think he/she was going to take
that shot." Be aware and be ready!!!!! Anticipate all options.

Situation 3: Failing To Read Offensive Situations

Again, goalies who simply hang out waiting for a shot lose valuable
opportunities to pre-read what save attempt will be needed to stop
the puck. Over the years I have worked with thousands of goalies,
yet I can probably remember only a dozen or so goalies who "Get It"
when it comes to being a student of the game. Do you know how easy
it is to read an offensive situation? For example, you have a
left-hand puck carrier skating down the right sideboards on a 2 v1
with a right-handed teammate. If the right-handed forward was
driving the net, his stick blade would be behind the goalie's body
if the goalie can stay by the top of the crease. A goalie who is not
a student of the game may wind up playing on the goal line which
gives the shooter space to score, space to deke AND space to hit the
back-door pass. The difference between a routine 2 v1 and a goal is
how the goalie views the play. Another routine play is a pass from
behind the goal line to the slot. The space a goalie needs to cover
is affected by whether the recipient of the pass in the slot is a
lefty or a righty. The difference in space from a right shot to a
left shot may be 3 or 4 feet. If the goalie moved off the left post
to the slot, thinking the slot player was a righty, but the player
was actually a lefty, the goalie will be lined up with the shooter's
body and not the stick so it may be an easy goal. A smart, quick
read by the goalie will get the angle covered correctly and prevents
a point blank goal. If the goalie has no clue about left and right
shot angles, the goalie relies purely on luck and reflexes which is
not the way to go.

I could go on and on about how reading 1 v 1s, 3 v 2s, neutral zone
play, defensive zone play and power plays all make a goalie's job
easier. Most goalies tune out at practice when the team works on
these things thinking all they have to do is stop the puck.
Awareness is a vital skill of goaltending. If you know what is going
on around you, it is easier to make an informed choice as to what
you need to do. Don't be mentally lazy! Challenge yourself when it
would be easier to be lazy.

Summary:

There are countless "innocent" plays that occur each game and
practice. Don't make yourself a victim of the unexpected by taking
your time on the ice for granted. Be mentally active, verbally
active and physically dominant. A proactive crease presence will
prevent you from giving up too many soft goals. They occasionally
happen to everyone, but they happen more often to goalies who don't
pay attention to details. Don't let this happen to you! You have a
conscious choice in how you carry yourself on the ice. If
consistently let in funny goals, it probably has to do with your
approach to the game. When you are mentally and physically prepared
for innocent and challenging plays alike, you will be a goalie your
team can count on.